Phobos Trooper
by lyuboiv
Summary: Elite marines, trained to fight and win in the most hostile conditions, Phobos Troopers are humanity's last hope for keeping the planet safe from future demonic invasions. But will they be able to defeat the darkness without, if they are not even aware of the darkness within...
1. Chapter 1

**Some background info about the "Phobos" character:**

Phobos is a character from _Quake 3: Arena._ He looks almost identical to the Doom Marine, except that his armor/suit is in a distinctive orange color and has some extra "special effects" on it.

_A courageous, determined soldier, used to command, Phobos has got that "officer and a gentleman" esprit d'corps. Unfortunately, his last mission taught him about betrayal and sabotage. He trusts no one and nothing except his training. He was trained very well..._

In my Doom stories, the Phobos Troopers are elite Space Marines who have undergone special training for combat in extreme combat situations. Their base of operations is the level **E4M9: Fear** from _Ultimate Doom_ - I got the idea while working on the Encyclopedia (8 years ago).

Now, Mr. Phobos gets his own adventure - it will consist of **5 chapters** (I want to keep it short and sweet). Buckle up, marines! We are going down...

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><p><strong>- PHOBOS TROOPER -<strong>

by Lyubomir Ivanov

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><p><em>"Battle not with monsters lest ye become a monster; and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you."<em> - Friedrich Nietzsche

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><p><strong>CHAPTER I: Database Reference #SMC_51321<strong>

Initate query...

Database node engaged, open files - Phobos Protocol 1.00b (last modified: Mar 28, 2085)

Detecting... security Clearance Level 5: sufficient!

Database query successful... retrieving readable data, please wait...

**(FILE BEGINS)**

Phobos Troopers, also initially known as "Advanced Field Operatives" and "Space Marines v2.0", are an elite cadre of SMC recruits who have exhibited exceptional tactical and combat skills.

Chosen among SMC recruits who exhibit superior analytical and tactical skills, Phobos Troopers receive training in several special disciplines such as strategic planning, battlefield control, infiltration and subversion, stealth, mental endurance, hostile terrain survival, xenobiology, and others. Upon successful completion of training, they are promoted in rank and acquire security clearance level of 5, in order to optimally facilitate their operations. It is rumored, yet unconfirmed, that they have been assigned to black ops missions in the past.

The primary purpose of Phobos Troopers is combat and survival in extremely hostile environments, such as the recently discovered exo-dimension known as "Hell". The possibility of a future demonic invasion has necessitated the creation of advanced soldiers who can strike at the heart of enemy operations, a strategy that proved to be the key to defeating the invaders.

The Phobos Troopers' training camp and base of operations is a previously decommissioned, currently rehabilitated and refurbished UAC logistics facility, which was overwhelmed by the enemy during the demonic invasion of Earth. The facility was later purged and liberated by code-name "Doom Marine", real identity: (RESTRICTED DATA / INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE LEVEL), during the early stages of Hell on Earth, consequently reclaimed by SMC General Callahan, who restarted the Phobos program and initiated the training of a new generation of Phobos Troopers.

The latest known mission with the overt participation of Phobos Troopers was at the site of the devastated Plutonia Complex. Their assignment was to salvage any usable organic remains of the defeated (RESTRICTED DATA / INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE LEVEL) for research purposes, and to exterminate any potential demonic stragglers.

The Phobos program has been expanded over the last 2 years, increasing the number of selected recruits by more than 400%. New and improved training regimens and virtual-reality simulators have been implemented, based on the personal experiences of code-name "Doom Marine" and the results from the research of recovered demon cadavers.

All further data are classified indefinitely and currently unavailable for access via database inquiry...

**(END OF FILE)**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER II: BOOT CAMP**

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><p>The smell was suffocating. It was something like a mix of burnt grease and brimstone, and it hung in the air like a heavy curtain. It was exactly such things that distracted him easily.<p>

He moved silently through the narrow passage. Rough volcanic rock surrounded him on both sides, the floor was covered with a thick layer of ash, and above was an eerie red sky, thick with swirling vapors and flashing cinders. There was a clearing ahead. He had to avoid being seen at all costs. If only that smell could go away...

Ahead was a larger area. The ashen ground was dotted with several pointy brown things that slightly resembled deformed tree stumps and several pools of thick fetid water, though it looked more like tar. The silence was unsettling. Where were they?

There! A tiny wisp of disturbed ash floating near the ground. There was something right behind the corner. He gripped the shotgun tightly. His hands were sweating inside the protective gloves and for a second he felt like the gun would slip out of his grasp. He could hear the labored breathing now – it had to be a former human. Weak, slow, with poor coordination. Carries a low-caliber security rifle. Shouldn't be too much of a challenge.

Fully focused on the lingering threat behind the corner, for a few seconds he was completely oblivious of what was going on behind his back. The hollow growl startled him – he recognized it immediately. A "pinky" demon – very sharp teeth and horns, resilient skin, charges at high speed to come within melee range. He turned around sharply and prepared to shoot the fiend between the eyes... but there was nothing behind him. A moment of hesitation and then he saw it – a blurry distortion in the air, like a drop of alcohol in a glass of water, rushing towards him. A specter!

The precious few seconds lost in the confusion turned out to be more decisive than he expected. The specter rammed him with its horns and he fell on his back. The shotgun was still in his hands – he pointed it up and shot blindly into the blur that was descending upon his throat. The blast went straight into the creature's mouth and the distortion flew backwards, spewing blurry fluids in all directions. He had no time to enjoy his success; a heavy footstep was heard to the right. The former human fixated him with its glazed eyes and raised its weapon. The shotgun blast took its head off a millisecond before it could squeeze the trigger.

Just in that moment a loud siren was heard and a mechanical voice announced: "Simulation ended. All trainees, please report to your instructor for performance review."

A ripple went through the vista of the infernal landscape; it shimmered and then disappeared, revealing the bare concrete walls of a large underground chamber. More importantly, the smell disappeared and he could finally breathe freely. Several other marines were nearby, already taking off their helmets. One of them approached him and gave him a hearty pat on the back.

"You are one lucky bastard, Hicks! I thought that specter was going to eat you for lunch. You'll probably get some bonus points for quick reflexes, eh?"

"Sure," Hicks replied, "But I should not have allowed that thing to ram me in the first place. I think they will give me some extra hours in the specter spotting simulator."

"Don't worry about it – even the best have trouble seeing these things in the gloom," the other man grinned, "Always better to hear them before you see them – that's what I say."

"True," Hicks nodded, "It was the growl that tipped me off. Imagine how deadly they would be, if they could charge silently... anyway, let's report to the instructor."

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><p><em>10 minutes later<em>

The room was already filled with marines who were eagerly discussing the training session. An overview of the simulator arena was displayed on the large screen – it looked just like a gauntlet. The "Slough of Despair" was one of the marines' favorite – it was (supposedly) based on an actual area in Hell, which was visited by the anonymous "Doom Marine" himself, built according to his memories of the place.

The hottest topic for discussion, however, was the simulator upgrade that had been performed last night. The demons' AI was improved, the impact from enemy hits was made stronger (and more realistic), the environment was made more dynamic, new arenas were added ("House of Pain" and "Unholy Cathedral"), and, of course, they added the smell. Everyone was complaining about the smell!

Hicks was not in the mood for talking, yet he paid attention to the ongoing conversation. Right next to him was a small group of younger recruits – typical geeks who drooled at the sight of a plasma gun and wanted to have every possible gadget in their arsenal. Their conversation revolved around technology as well.

"Believe me, guys, I saw it and I even had the chance to poke around it for a few minutes," the red-haired marine was obviously excited and could hardly wait to tell his story, "They have recovered an arachnotron in nearly pristine condition – the brain was blown away but the mechanical components were intact. They still don't know how the demons could have developed this kind of technology. It's unlike anything we have ever seen before – they are struggling to figure out the logic behind its construction. It's totally alien!"

"It's some sort of cybernetics, right?" asked another recruit, discretely taking notes on his PDA.

"To some extent it is. But it's also different in many aspects," the marine continued, "Demonic technology seems to always use organic components, yet in a manner we cannot fully understand."

"And we probably never will," interjected a third marine, "They are supposed to upload everything we find out about the demons to the database, yet they are clearly hiding something from us. Have you noticed the blanks while browsing the files? I've run into many of these _data restricted / insufficient clearance level_ – they appear here and there, concealing crucial details. And that's the weird thing – they shouldn't even show up. We are supposed to have full access to everything in the database. Clearance level 5 is the highest possible level, isn't it?"

At this point Hicks was compelled to join the conversation.

"Rumor has it that there is a higher level," he said with a wry smile, causing the three young marine to gasp with surprise, "The hidden sixth level. In fact, some claim that its true name is Clearance Level 666 because it gives access to the darkest bits of demon-related knowledge that the government has been able to recover."

Then he smiled and said with a lighter tone, "Of course, it could all be just a tall tale meant to scare green recruits like you. Be good in your training and the answers will find their way to you sooner or later..."

Then he winked at them and turned around just as the "attention" signal was heard. The voices died down as the instructor enter the room and assumed his position by the screen. He glanced through the sheets of paper he was carrying and then turned towards the assembled recruits.

"At ease, men. Your results have a marked improvement this week and I am very pleased. But before I go into details... how do you like the simulation upgrade?"

Several giggles were heard throughout the room, and then a voice spoke from the back rows:

"It's all very nice, Major, but what the Hell was that unholy stench?!"

"The so-called stench, Lieutenant Cole, is one more step towards training you to ignore distractions – even the really nasty ones," the instructor spoke without even looking. He could always recognize each marine's voice in an instant. "Our data indicates that Hell's atmosphere is saturated with a variety of irritating, nauseating and caustic substances. Without the protection of a helmet, you'd most likely be crying blood and coughing your lungs out after a mere ten minutes of exposure. Even when you wear a helmet, you will still feel the foul odor and perhaps a little stinging in your eyes. This is why we did our best to simulate it – so that you can be prepared for it."

A murmured passed through the room – the instructor was right, as always. The annoyance had suddenly turned into a new challenge to overcome. Some of the more hotheaded marines were even eager to face it without a helmet.

"The real issue here is awareness," the instructor continued, "Most of you are still taken by surprise way too often. In a real combat situation, you'll end up KIA in no time. So learn to keep your eyes and ears open – demons are not exactly stealthy creatures, they leave plenty of signs of their presence. Footsteps, scratches on the walls, bloodstains, traces of blood or other bodily fluids, little bits of torn cloth or debris, growls and other sounds are just a few of the things that can tell you that something lurks just behind the corner. Lieutenant Hicks over there detected the presence of a former human from bits of ash disturbed by the creature's clumsy steps. On the other hand, he made a mistake by leaving his back uncovered long enough for a specter to charge at him. We do our best to help you spot these creatures, yet they can always slip from your sight, even when you're paying attention. These things are quite heavy – the inertia from the charge will knock you down, it's practically impossible to withstand it."

He paused for a few seconds in order to make a few notes in his notepad.

"The next training session begins at 2000 hours. The upgrade has raised the difficulty slightly, so don't get sloppy! And don't let the smell distract you – try to get used to it, it's for your own good. You are dismissed... except for Jones, Ryan and Hicks. I'd like to have a word with you in my office."

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><p><em>15 minutes later<em>

The facility's age was obvious, even though it had undergone extensive repairs and upgrades. The concrete walls may have been white once, but now they were mostly yellow, even brown in some spots. Small bits of rusted rebar showed up through the cracks. One particular wall had numerous bullet holes on it – they were deliberately not fixed because they were known to have been caused by the so-called Doom Marine's chaingun, and now that stretch of wall had become a place of worship for some of the recruits.

Hicks was skeptical – he liked the story, yet he had his doubts about a single man's ability to defeat the entire might of Hell. If "Doom Marine" was real, he was either superhuman or the luckiest man ever born. Or maybe a little bit of both...

There were just five fully trained Phobos troopers at the time the demons invaded. The marines put up a valiant defense and slaughtered hundreds of the foul creatures, yet their superior tactical skills were ultimately outmatched by the invaders' superior numbers. A small memorial commemorated these men's sacrifice, and the new generation of Phobos troopers was their legacy.

The four men sank once more into the gloomy interior of the training camp, heading towards the high-ranking officers' quarters. The air smelled better in here – the good air filtration units were reserved for the high brass, as always. They finally stopped in front of a door – the sign read "Major Stephen Carter – senior drill instructor." The door opened slowly, revealing a dark office. The only source of light was a tactical screen on the wall. A man was standing next to it, though it was hard to discern his face.

When they entered the room, Major Carter touched a switch on the wall and the lights were turned on. The three marines instantly stood to attention and saluted – the man next to the wall screen was none other than General Callahan himself!

"At ease, men," the General's voice was still strong and resonating, even though his age was already showing on his face, "Have a seat and let us not waste any time – we have much work ahead of us."

Hicks was still a little confused. Were they going to receive a commendation? Or a reprimand? Was it about his little specter "accident" in the simulator? The General rarely emerged from his command center and such a personal meeting seemed a bit odd.

Callahan quickly dispelled the marines' confusion: "You are here because your training performance has been outstanding and you show great potential. It has been decided that you are ready to take the next step. You are ready to be promoted into active service."

The General made a short pause. Hicks felt as if his heart would burst. Active service! He could hardly believe it.

"It is always an honor and a pleasure to do this in person, though I don't always have the time to do it these days," Callahan continued, "Every next group of recruits who have finished their training is a testament to the vision of the Phobos program's founders, and an investment in the safer future of mankind. In a few short hours you will embark upon your first real mission."

Major Carter touched the screen and it displayed the map of an unfamiliar geographic area. The view zoomed in on what appeared to be a small town.

"Your target is in southeastern Europe – a town by the name of Pernik, which still exhibits residual demonic infestation," said the senior instructor, initiating the briefing under the watchful gaze of the General, "The locals are known for being very tough people and they have quite a few demon kills to their credit, however they are now facing something different. Something a lot more dangerous."

Hicks's thoughts were racing. Such cases of demonic survivors were usually handled by the Check-and-Cleanup teams. He knew for certain that one such team was in the area, as it recently cleared a particularly nasty infestation near Sarajevo.

"I suppose you are wondering why we haven't simply sent a CnC team to pacify the area," the Major continued, as if reading his thoughts, "We have been getting a lot of anomalous readings from an abandoned metallurgical industrial complex near the town. It is likely that these readings have been generated by a demonic artifact of great power. The situation requires a more careful approach and advanced expertise that cannot be provided by regular space marines."

"This is why we are sending you," General Callahan interjected, "You are now attached to Phobos team Theta-2 and will depart immediately. The shuttle is already fueled-up and waiting for you. My experience has shown that the combination of demon extermination and artifact retrieval is excellent for a first actual mission. I am sure that you will all do your best and return victorious."

"You will receive all necessary gear when you arrive in the mission area," it was Major Carter speaking again, "When you leave this room you will follow the marked route to the landing bay. Do not make detours, do not talk to anyone! Board the shuttle immediately and await further instructions! Dismissed!"

Before the three men could reach the door, the General approached them and shook their hands before giving his farewell: "Good hunting... Phobos Troopers!"

These words were spoken with great pride, yet even they could hardly ease the marines' tension. This was it – the safety was off and now they were off to face the enemy. For real.

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><p><em>Next chapter - coming soon. Lieutenant Hicks is now on his way to fight evil unleashed. I hope his training was good enough :)<em>


	3. Chapter 3

_Phew, finally! "Better late than never," as the saying goes..._

_It's still better than the 8-year hiatus that plagued "The Lost Memories". And speaking of which, you might be reminded of it in this chapter. Perhaps even meet an old friend._

_Without further delay..._

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><p><strong>CHAPTER III: DEVILTOWN<strong>

The other troopers were using the long flight to catch up on some much-needed sleep, yet Hicks was awake, looking through the tactical report once more. They were heading towards unfamiliar terrain somewhere in the southeastern region of the Balkans. Reinforcements were quite unlikely – the only other Phobos detachment in this hemisphere was far to the north, in the Kola Peninsula – investigating demonic activity in the town of Kirovsk. The nearest CnC team had just finished their mission in Sarajevo and were about to move towards Trieste to handle recent demonic sightings. If things went bad, help could not arrive within 24 hours.

The target area was some mining town called Pernik. The infested zone appeared to be a complex of abandoned industrial buildings – just the kind of hideout that the demons liked. Most of the locals had fled, yet some remained, fighting to contain the Hellish threat on their own. These people had a reputation for being very tough and they had done an impressive job holding the invaders back. But now something far stronger and more sinister had made its presence known in town. It was time for the boys with the big guns to move in.

Preliminary readings were hazy, yet they seemed consistent with powerful demonic artifacts. Priority one was to secure this object. And if that turned out to be impossible – destroy it and collect any remaining pieces for further study. And, of course, the sweetest part of the assignment – exterminate any encountered demonic life forms. With extreme prejudice. "My kind of party," thought Hicks.

A subtle sensation in his sternum was the only indication that the dropship was starting its descent. He looked out through the viewport but saw only the night sky and heavy clouds shrouding the pale moon. One could hardly see a thing, yet the marine was aware that the pilots did not need eyes to see. The ship had already been locked onto the beacon that had placed on the ground by the scouting team. A red light turned on and a metallic voice awakened the other troopers. "Phobos team Theta-2, five minutes to target area. Gear up!"

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><p><em>10 minutes later<em>

They had barely unloaded the last of their equipment when the dropship sealed all hatches and took off abruptly. Safety protocols took priority – the risk of demonic stowaways was not to be underestimated. Hicks took a brief look at the team – apart from Jones and Ryan that he already knew from boot camp, there were six more Phobos troopers that appeared to be more experienced. Their combat armor already bore the scars of demonic encounters, whereas the three new recruits' suits were still pretty clean, which made them feel a little awkward.

The squad leader, designated by a black triangular symbol on his helmet, made a gesture for the others to gather around him. It was time for a quick briefing.

"Alright, men, listen up, especially you – rookies. All our intel comes from the locals – they know the area perfectly. Individual demonic encounters have been detected through the entire town and the surrounding hills, yet the highest concentration is near the old foundry. Sightings have become considerably more common over the last two weeks, so we have to assume the situation has changed – we may have a nasty visitor on our hands. We'll do it the classic way – break up into three smaller teams and sanitize the perimeter. We will breach the supposed artifact zone together. All clear?"

A silent nod was the confirmation. The guns were loaded, the helmets secured and the maps memorized – it was time to kick butt!

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><p>Two of the rookies, Hicks and Ryan, were teamed up with the squad leader, Captain Brendemann. He had surprisingly long hair for a soldier, yet he could easily hide it under his helmet. There were rumors that he used to be the singer for a death metal band before he volunteered to join the Space Marines. How he made it into the Phobos trooper program was a topic of many debates among the new recruits. The older troopers just smiled knowingly and said nothing.<p>

Lieutenant Hicks felt uneasy – this was different from the environments he was used to. There were signs here and there, yet he could read them, as they were in an unfamiliar language with Cyrillic letters. Luckily, this problem could be easily solved – the new helmets had a built in translation software that worked most of the time. The eggheads back at base even claimed it could interpret demonic speech, yet they had not had any real chance to test it thus far. He turned the translation module on and the signs started to make sense. Apparently, they were somewhere near the factory's coal warehouses. Just as they had planned.

"Over here," whispered the Captain, "We'll pass through this residential building. I don't like that big courtyard. We'll be exposed too much." Then he gestured towards a decrepit apartment building nearby. The local "resistance fighters" had knocked down a few walls during the initial demonic invasion and used it as a concealed passage. Supposedly, it was still safe to use.

* * *

><p>The three men approached the building entrance. It all seemed perfectly quiet – the air was stale and very warm. It reminded Hicks of the simulator back at the base, except that it usually featured Hellish environments instead of hallways with broken mailboxes along the sides. They climbed the stairs slowly, careful not to make any noises. The passage they were looking for was on the second floor, accessible from the middle apartment. His hands were sweating, just as they did before. It was an unpleasant sensation, yet he could not let this distract him. A few more meters – there was the door. He really hoped it would not creak. It opened quietly; good. Beyond it was a gloomy apartment, and to the right he was the passage itself – a series of walls had been knocked down in a straight line, creating a shortcut to the opposite side of the building. They just had to pass through about ten or so rooms.<p>

They walked even slower now, trying not to step on a piece of crumbled masonry or broken furniture. Any of these could make undesirable noise. The silence was really starting to irritate Hicks now because it made him feel like he was walking into an ambush. He wasn't so sure anymore if this old building was the preferable route, compared to the open courtyard. He felt boxed in between the Captain and Lieutenant Ryan. The first half of the passage was behind them, there was just a little more.

And then he heard it – a gurgling. A very specific gurgling that could not be mistaken. He quickly raised his shotgun and yelled "IMPS!" The Captain reacted instantly and took cover behind a broken wardrobe, while the younger recruit hesitated for a second, yet managed to take a position behind the remains of a couch. Hicks's thoughts were rushing as he feverishly tried to remember what he knew about imps. Humanoid in appearance, yet stronger and more resilient. Sharp claws – lethal from close range. Also the ability to form and throw fire projectiles – their mechanism was not yet fully understood. So, as long as he kept his distance and dodged the fireballs, he would survive this, wouldn't he?

They were coming from several directions. Hicks aimed for their glowing eyes and took the first one out with an accurate headshot. The second one was shot by Ryan, yet his aim seemed a little shaky. "Don't panic now, kid," Hicks thought. In the meantime, Brendemann had already taken care of three others – he was shooting quickly and confidently, while also dodging a fireball. He was laughing and shouting at the demons:

"Come over here, freaks, daddy's got enough hot lead for all of you!"

The he turned towards the young recruits and gave them a gesture to keep advancing towards the end of the passage. An imp's claws nearly got hold of Ryan's leg, yet Hicks noticed this in time and blew the demon's arm off. A second later, the creature's brain was splattered all over the faded wallpaper.

"Go, go! Move!" – The Captain's voice rose above the din of the battle. He pointed his shotgun backwards and shot without even looking. None of his shots missed. The three men ran down the stairs and finally emerged out of the building. The few surviving imps retreated and did not pursue. All of a sudden, everything was just as quiet as it had been before the ambush. Hicks was trying to catch his breath and struggled to realize what had just happened. He was no stranger to dynamic battlefield conditions but this was quite eerie. He didn't want to think what could happen next.

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><p>Captain Brendemann did not seem at all shaken by the recent events. He cleaned the dust off his uniform and gave the two rookies a hearty pat on their backs. "You did well, boys," he said. "I can see you have what it takes to become Phobos troopers. You just need a little polishing – a few more fights like this one and you'll be just perfect."<p>

The perilous trip through the old building had not been in vain – they were much closer to the factory now. There were just a few fences and an old railroad between them and the warehouses now. The Captain made a beckoning gesture and the marines started moving – as quietly as possible. They were not going to make it any easier for the demons to detect their presence again.

They slipped by several abandoned cars that were rusting by the concrete wall surrounding the warehouses. A minute later they were on the other side of the wall, surveying the area with wary eyes. It seemed safe, yet this only made them feel more nervous. "Hicks, take point," the Captain whispered. "And take this little friend with you," he added, pulling something shiny from his backpack. The Lieutenant grabbed the plasma gun and stared at it with veneration. He had dreamed about having one of these ever since he had joined the SMC. It was fully loaded and ready to fry demons!

A ruined truck was the only solid object nearby, so he naturally took cover behind it. Hicks slowly peeked around it and activated the zooming function of his helmet. The warehouses seemed deserted. There were no footprints in the dust or any other signs of life. Under any other circumstances, Hicks would have thought the coast was clear, yet that building had also seemed safe, right until the imps swarmed upon them. They were supposed to be close the infestation's heart, so things simply could not be so quiet.

The confirmation came mere seconds later – in the form of a series of shotgun blasts. The truck's thick metal plates shielded Hicks from the pellets. He felt the comforting hum of the fully loaded plasma gun in his hands. He already knew what he was up against, even before seeing their bald heads and glowing red eyes – Former human sergeants. Advanced form of zombified human. More aggressive and relentless, with better accuracy and coordination than ordinary formers. Preferred weapon – shotgun. And they were quite proficient with it.

Captain Brendemann and Lieutenant Ryan were already returning fire. A sadistic smile crept onto Hicks's face. "Leave that to me." He jumped up and fired a few quick salvos of burning hot death. Some of the formers tried to take cover, yet the plasma easily tore through the warehouse walls and tore them apart. The disgusting smell of roasted undead flesh filled the air. The last of the formers had clustered together, which was their last mistake. One final salvo of plasma took them out for good.

* * *

><p>Now that the coast was really clear, the two other marines joined Hicks by the remains of the truck and tried to assess the situation.<p>

"Two ambushes, and both of them seemed planned pretty well," Captain Brendemann began, "A greater demon is controlling these minions. And it must be somewhere very close by."

"What kind of demon?" Ryan asked.

"Well, if we're lucky, it will be something easier to kill, a Hell Knight, perhaps," the Captain answered, "And if we're not so lucky, it could be something worse – like an Arch Vile or even a Cyberdemon."

There was no need to say anything else. The two young recruits were quite familiar with the sight of the colossi with the metal legs. They were aware how much destruction even one of these monsters could cause.

The Captain tried to contact the other teams and recall them to their current position. He listened to their status reports for a few seconds and then frowned. "The other teams have been pinned down by squads of Former Commandos – more ambushes. We could either wait for them to break through them, or we can try to take out the big bad guy on our own. This will surely disrupt the demons' attacks, but it will be very risk. Are you up to the task, rookies?"

They did not need to be asked again. "Sir, yes, sir!"

They slowly crept under the thick shadows of the warehouse. They quickly gathered some extra shotgun shells from the scattered bodies of the Former humans. The place seemed unusually quiet and Hicks suspected that whoever controlled the demonic forces had spread them too thin, attempting to hunt down and eliminate all Phobos teams. However, this unseen fiend had not taken into consideration how tough these troopers really were. It had not anticipated that they would survive the ambushes and make their way into its lair. Now all the three men had to do was find the demonic commander and take care of it... yet, there was a little complication.

The building was large and split into three large sections. They did not have time to search through all three. The Captain said what was on everyone's minds:

"We need to split up. It's risky, but hey – this is what this job is all about. Advance slowly and keep your eyes open. The first of us to spot the demonic S.O.B. must immediately give the rest a silent signal via the commlink. And when this happens, just stay put and wait for the others to arrive. Then we take it out together. Understood?"

Hicks and Ryan nodded silently. And so they split up – Hicks took the right corridor. He was quite tense, yet focused like never before. This was no simulation. This was the moment his training was put to the test. His helmet's night vision mode had difficulty adapting to the gloom within the huge room he had found himself in. The black piles of coal around him did not really help as they seemed to absorb all light. Using a flashlight was out of the question – it would give away his position immediately. Demon eyes were more sensitive than humans'.

* * *

><p>Hicks froze in place – he heard something up ahead. It sounded almost like two conversing voices. Maybe it was the other two troopers? The disturbing thing, though, was that these voices did not quite sound human. The marine felt a shiver run down his spine – could he be the "lucky" one to find the demon? He gripped his gun even tighter and slowly made his way in the direction of the voices. He would not give the signal until he was sure.<p>

A red glow was emanating from behind a stack of old wooden crates. Hicks slowly peeked behind the corner and was stunned by the sight that was revealed before his eyes. Ahead he saw a strange construction of human bones with a glowing red sphere on top. Behind this strange object was a large creature, though he could not yet discern its features. And within the orb itself was an image... something like a horned demonic head that was turned towards the other creature and seemed to talk to it. Just then Hicks heard a quiet "beep" in his helmet and the voices of the demons started to make sense. The experimental demonic speech translator – it was working! And now the creature behind the artifact was talking to the demon in the sphere:

_Lord Gatekeeper, we have scoured this place and found no trace of the object you seek. It must be somewhere else._

Hicks barely found the willpower to press the small button and give the other marines the signal. He was too amazed by the fact that he could actually eavesdrop on a conversation between demons. At this point the creature from the red sphere responded – a voice as cold as ice and as harsh as a jagged steel blade:

_I sense that it is close, so very close. I see a town nestled in the foothills of a mountain, though it is not this one. Move your forces east and await further orders once you reach... _The demon in the orb suddenly stopped and remained silent for a few seconds. Then it slowly turned around and its baleful eyes were now looking straight at Hicks. _You are not alone._

The other demon uttered an angry howl and stepped forward. Hicks could see it clearly now – large and muscular, minotaur-like, horns, cloven hoofs, and bright crimson skin. A Baron of Hell - very strong physically, practically capable of tearing a human body apart with its bare hands. Also capable of manifesting and throwing powerful plasma projectiles that easily burned even through the thickest marine armor. An encounter with such a creature was always deadly.

The evil face in the red orb was examining Hicks carefully through its glowing eyes. The creature seemed peculiarly interested in him. But the marine had a more pressing matter at hand right now – the Baron was approaching him slowly, apparently savoring the horror of his prey. "Move! Come on, just move," thought Hicks, yet his legs seemed to be stuck to the floor.

The Baron was towering above him now. The marine could see the eerie green flames in its eyes. Then his eyes moved to the cawed hands. The same green light was already dancing around the fingers. Hicks tried to raise the plasma gun, yet his hands felt cold and lifeless. He closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>Just as he expected to be cut down by the enraged demon, he heard a powerful blast. In a haze, he saw the Baron staggering backwards, green blood oozing from its chest, and Captain Brendemann emerging from behind the crates, with a smoking double-barreled sawed-off shotgun in his hands. Ryan was right behind him, spraying bullets from his chaingun. The sight of his comrades pulled Hicks out of his stupor – the plasma gun was humming gently in his hands; now he squeezed the trigger and unleashed a stream of searing plasma towards the fresh wound in the demon's thorax. The creature was thrown back and fell on the floor. The upper half of its body was nearly melted, yet it still lived, its eyes glowing with hate. The Captain approached it, spat into its face, and then finished it off with his sawed-off.<p>

The demonic face in the red sphere was still staring at Hicks. It had a very strange expression, just as if it was... smiling.

_A most interesting specimen. I can understand why THEY are so interested in you..._

A moment later the red glow faded away and the orb became black. Then the three men saw tiny cracks appearing all over its surface, which started to spread all over the structure of bones as well. Before they could react, the whole artifact crumbled into dust.

"Oh great, just great," Captain Brendemann sighed, "The artifact is gone, but at least we took out the big ugly guy. The other teams have already reported that the demonic forces holding them pinned down are in full retreat. At least this part of the mission is complete. Ryan, be а good boy and collect this dust. Perhaps the eggheads will be able to glean something from it."

The Captain then turned to Hicks – "What was this thing? Did you get a chance to observe it while it was still working?"

"Ummm, well, I think it was some kind of communications device," Hicks said hesitantly, "The Baron was talking to someone through that orb. I think he referred to is as a _Gatekeeper_, though I haven't heard of such a demon species before."

"We'll get to the bottom of this," said the Captain, "And you did a great job. You had almost wasted that freak. I hope you don't mind my jumping in and helping you."

The Captain winked and walked away. Hicks just stood still and said nothing. The Captain had not noticed his stupor. He did not realize what had actually happened.

* * *

><p><em>30 minutes later<em>

Back on the transport ship, the entire squad was in high spirits, though Hicks was still somewhat brooding, sitting silent in his seat and trying to figure out just what had transpired. Freezing in place before the enemy was bad enough, but being addressed by a powerful demon was something no one could have prepared him for.

"You all did an excellent job today, marines," the Captain was still congratulating everyone, "And the rookies performed superbly as well – especially you, Hicks."

Everybody thought he was the hero of the day. Yet, deep within, Hicks knew things were not always what they seemed.

* * *

><p><em>Let's hope the next chapter doesn't take another year to publish :P<em>


	4. Chapter 4

_Yeah, this one was finished pretty quickly. Special thanks to all the people who gave feedback and encouragement - it really helps :)_

_Here we go..._

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER IV: OFFWORLD ASSIGNMENT<strong>

"Exo-dimension XX-666, commonly known as _Hell_, is the only one of its kind known to us, and also the greatest threat we have ever encountered as a species." The lecturer's voice kept a constant steady pace, following the sequence of photos and schematics that appeared and changed on the screen behind his back.

"Our data about this place is still very scarce, but what we have learned so far has led us to believe that _Hell_ is not a planet in the traditional sense, or any other familiar space-time construct. Our current hypothesis is that it is an undefined planar entity with irregular and/or fluctuating boundaries, which gives it the unique property of breaching into other dimensions, given the application of enough power. Most of the laws of physics known to us appear to be altered or even absent in this dimension, which enables a vast number of aberrant phenomena, some of which could be described as a form of sorcery..."

Hicks took a quick glance around the darkened room – most recruits were listening intently. Much of this information was already available on the network, yet these lectures usually offered some new intel and thus were an object of high interest among the marines. The screen now showed something that looked like a large-scale map.

"Pieced together from various bits of information, including the accounts of the so-called Doom Marine, this map shows what we assume is the primary landmass of _Hell_, which is roughly divided into two halves by a massive mountain range. The eastern half is what we refer to as _Inferno_ – the site of numerous important demonic facilities, such as the House of Pain or the Unholy Cathedral. The western half of the continent has a few other sites of great power, including what we believe used to be the seat of power of the defeated Lord of Hell."

Hicks had heard the story many times by now – the mysterious "Doom Marine" had fought the demons on both sides of this continent and eventually infiltrated the lair of the big bad master of the demons. Then they fought and the marine blew his brains out. And the war was over – well, except for all the mopping up of demonic survivors that had to be conducted for years to come. The lecturer was now talking about a large object that appeared to float above the Hellish continent.

"...And we are certain that the former Martian moon of Deimos is still trapped in _Hell _– floating above the region of Inferno. The UAC base built upon it is most likely unsalvageable – the buildings appear heavily altered by demonic influence and there is at least one adjacent demonic construction, a tall tower, which, as our researchers have hypothesized, was the conduit used to initiate the invasion of Earth. Doom Marine has claimed to have encountered another demonic edifice as well – one that seemed to fade in and out of existence..."

Hicks allowed a skeptical smile to creep onto his face. Despite all the collected data and evidence material, some parts of the "Doom Marine" story still sounded like a tall tale. It was as if he added a few exotic details here and there merely to spice it up, just as a fisherman would exaggerate his catch. The mysterious fortress appearing out of thin air was just one of the many such strange things that did not quite fit in. Some photos of demonic creatures appeared on the screen, as well as several anatomical diagrams. This was the best part of the lecture.

"The inhabitants of XX-666, known to us as _demons_, are a mixed lot. This diversity of creatures, however, has been apparently intended for one purpose – the subjugation of entire worlds. They are organized and operating like an army. Some creatures, like the ones known to us as Imps and Hell Knights appear to be specifically designed and bred by a malevolent intelligence. Others, such as the _pinky _demons, appear to be the product of whatever evolutionary processes take place within XX-666. Still, these animal-like beings have been fully integrated into the demonic army and are as efficient as the more sentient fiends."

The screen was now showing photos of all demon species that had been encountered and studied by mankind until now. Hicks was looking at the twisted faces, knowing that there was at least one more species that they were not aware of. Or were they?

"The cybernetic components used by some demonic species are the greatest mystery so far," the lecturer was continuing his talk while the detailed schematics of an Arachnotron filled the screen. "Neither the devices, nor the facilities they are produced at, appear to be of demonic design. We theorize that they are based on technology stolen by a conquered civilization and modified to suit the demons' needs. The exact origins of this technology will likely remain unknown to us."

_Or perhaps they are known to you, but you are hiding the truth from us, _Hicks thought bitterly. He was well aware that some details were kept concealed, like the real identity of the "Doom marine" or the nature of the demon that had been defeated at the fallen Plutonia complex. Even the Phobos team that went there and saw it first-hand could never fully understand what had invaded that facility.

"Genuine demonic technology includes several examples of artifacts, yet their design and operating principles are unknown to us. Soul Spheres appear to be containers holding the vital energy of slain creatures, though the method of capturing it within the sphere is a mystery. Blur Artifacts are similar devices, though they contain something that could be described as altered dark matter, at least in terms of our limited understanding. There are rumors of artifacts hat could even make their user invulnerable, though we have yet to see one. In your training sessions, you will sometimes be given access to demonic health potions, though their effect on humans is quite negligible."

The lecture was now approaching its conclusion and the marines would go back to their regular assignments. As for Hicks, he was to report to a special debrief session. He suspected they would ask him about the artifact. It's not like he knew anything – he had just seen that face. He just wondered if he'd have the courage to tell them that it had spoken to him.

* * *

><p><em>15 minutes later<em>

Hicks sat in the chair that was offered to him and had a few seconds to examine the faces around the room. Several of the senior instructors were here, as well as a few SMC officers that were not familiar to him. Major Carter seemed to be in charge of this session – he had a bunch of reports and maps in front of him, as well as a small plastic box filled with white dust, which seemed familiar. And there was someone else as well, sitting in the shadows towards the back of the room. Hicks could not make out his face.

The Major put the papers aside and cleared his throat. "Let us begin, then. This is not exactly an official debriefing; it's more like a meeting to clarify a few details. But first and foremost, congratulations on your successful first mission, Lieutenant."

Hicks simply nodded and tried to put on a "proud" look on his face.

"Our latest recon indicates that the town has been purged of its demonic infestation. If there are any stragglers, the locals should be able to handle them. The loss of the demonic artifact is regrettable, yet what matters to us most is that you did your job and came back home alive."

As he was saying this, Major Carter looked at the dust in the box in front of him. So, this is why it seemed familiar – it was a sample of the artifact's remains.

"Our scientists have been analyzing this dust for hours, yet have hardly been able to learn anything from it. Still, they'll keep trying. And besides, we have your account of that object's activity."

Just as he suspected – they were interested in that thing and they probably wished the marines could claim it intact. This is why he had made it very clear in his reports that the device's self-destruction was triggered remotely and thus the team had no fault for its loss. He was not going to let anyone take the blame for this.

"Do you confirm your assessment of the artifact's nature?" the Major asked.

"I do, sir," Hicks replied, "Based on what I observed, this was some kind of communication device. The Baron of Hell was clearly talking to _someone _through that thing. I believe that it said that the demons had failed to find something, I have no idea what exactly, and the reply was an order to move elsewhere eastward, I believe."

"This has been noted," one of the SMC officers was speaking now, "We have put the region under observation. Any demonic intrusions will be dealt with swiftly and efficiently."

"Undoubtedly," the Major continued, "I might also add that the demonic speech interpreter worked better than expected. The guys at the R&D department were euphoric when I told them. Anyway, did any of the demons mention any specific targets or troop movement plans?"

Hicks started going through his memories. "I think they mentioned they were looking for a town in the foothills of a mountain. Or something like this."

"There are several towns matching this description," the SMC officer interjected again, "Do you know which one exactly?"

"I'm sorry, sir, I do not," Hicks shrugged, "The demons detected my presence before they could say anything else."

The Major continued with his questions. "Based on what you saw, do you believe the Baron of Hell was coordinating the lesser creatures throughout the town?"

"I am certain it was commanding them," Hicks replied, "We ran into two well-planned ambushes, one by Imps and one by Former Sergeants. I'm also aware that the other teams ran into ambushes as well."

"And such behavior is not typical for these things," the SMC officer was talking again, "They may be savage and bloodthirsty all the time, but they exhibit more sophisticated tactics only while they are under the command of a superior demon."

Hicks just nodded again.

"Our observations indicate that most demons were set loose during the invasion and only groups pursuing specific objectives were under the control of advanced demon life forms." This came from another SMC officer who was sitting near the door. "However, once the invasion was stopped, nearly all groups of stragglers were organized around higher-ranking fiends that coordinate them. They keep a low profile and bide their time - a survival strategy, I suppose. The ones not under such control usually start attacking people at random and attract our attention quickly, so they end up exterminated by the CnC teams. But they are individual cases."

Hicks was fully aware of all this. Mavericks were dangerous due to being unpredictable, but the organised groups could do some real damage and hinder the reclamation efforts.

* * *

><p>It seemed the meeting was approaching its end when the man in the shadows finally spoke up. "I have one more question about the communication artifact." Hicks instantly froze when he recognized the voice – it was General Callahan himself! "What was the creature that spoke through that orb? Did you hear its name?"<p>

"Like I noted on my report," Hicks replied slowly, "The only thing that I know about this demon is that the Baron referred to it as _Gatekeeper_. And that's all I know – I could not get a good look at it or hear anything of importance."

"I see," the General murmured. "And regarding the OW assignment – is he ready?"

The question seemed to be aimed at Major Carter who replied almost instantly. "Yes, sir. I believe Lieutenant Hicks is prepared for a real off-world assignment."

"_Captain_ Hicks," the General intoned, "I signed the promotion order just before coming here. Major, give the Captain the basic briefing and his departure time. Any questions?"

Hicks was so confused by this sudden development that the question came to his lips spontaneously – "Where am I going, sir?"

"Why, you are going to the place which is the namesake for you and your fellow troopers," the General said with a smile, "You first OW assignment will be on Phobos."

* * *

><p><em>20 minutes later<em>

The mess hall was practically empty, except for the small group of marines in one corner. Their excitement was quite obvious.

"Dude, you are going to space! It's like a childhood dream come true. They must really think highly of you, if they give you an OW so soon."

"I guess they do," Hicks smiled, "I hear the Phobos base was one of the first facilities to be invaded, and also the place where Doom Marine's battle began. It's almost like visiting a sacred place."

"I hear there are still parts of the base that are infested," one of the young recruits said, "Some of the buildings were supposedly purged and reactivated, but the others are still dark and sealed off. Sounds creepy!"

"Not as creepy as going to the Deimos base," another recruit added, "They say the place is so corrupted that it can drive you mad. And if you get to the edge of the moon, you could see Hell itself below. But, of course, no one has been there yet, so it's all just an assumption..."

"Yeah, and there are evil demonic towers appearing out of thin air," Hicks replied. "Still I'd be curious to go here, even if only for a few minutes. I am sure there will be a reconnaissance mission some day soon. And who else is better prepared than us, Phobos Troopers?"

Many among the Space Marines felt a little jealous of the reputation that the Phobos Troopers had accumulated, yet no one could deny their advanced skills. The recruits were aware of this and were feeling more or less proud because of it.

* * *

><p>"You know, Hicks," Ryan said with a wry smile, "I have a suspicion the General has taken a special interest in you."<p>

"I think his interest is rather directed towards the mysterious demon that I saw," Hicks said quietly.

"You could be right about this," Ryan continued, "I've heard General Callahan is searching for one very specific demon, which is supposedly responsible for slaughtering his troops during the invasion."

"Revenge?" Hicks was surprised, "You mean the General is on some personal crusade to get even with a demon?"

"Indeed. You know the town near the Spaceport – the one where they found the primary invasion portal? It had a heavily fortified Space Marine HQ and the men there put up a good fight. But then a large demonic army descended upon them and the HQ was utterly destroyed. And this army was supposedly led by a unique demon unlike any of the ones we are familiar with. A creature of great cunning and supernatural power. Or at least that's what I've heard," Ryan seemed very excited while telling this story.

"Sweet," Hicks sighed, "We have our own Captain Ahab and he is still hunting for his white whale." He looked at his watch and stood up. "Well, it's been nice to chat with you, guys, but now I'll need some rest before I start preparing for my departure."

The other recruits cheered him and wished him luck. Hicks headed towards his bunk, excited about the upcoming mission, but also feeling something lurking within the depths of his mind. A dark premonition that something nasty was about to happen very soon.

* * *

><p><em>Next chapter promises to be big, nasty and full of demonic splendor. I hope I'll be able to write it soon, just as I did this one.<em>

_The destroyed Space Marine HQ mentioned near the end of this chapter was a reference to the events from the final moments of "The Lost Memories" - if you haven't read it yet, check it out ;)_

_Until next time, folks..._


	5. Chapter 5

_Oh, finally, here it is - the fifth and final chapter of this (quite prolonged) saga. __No more chatter, let's jump straight into the action!_

_Just one reminder: the main character (Hicks) is supposed to be the character "Phobos" from Quake III Arena. This is an important detail within the overall story ;)_

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER V: EX INFERIS<strong>

The gentle hum that pervaded the ship made him feel drowsy, yet Hicks did not want to sleep right now. This was the moment that was going to determine his fate - the ultimate test of his abilities. An off-world assignment could be a direct pathway to joining the elite... or a slippery slope towards the untimely end of one's military career, if things went wrong. No room for hesitation or rash decisions - it had to be perfect.

He kept going over the intel documents again and again. The Phobos base was considered clean and pretty much safe, yet demons kept turning up here and there unexpectedly. The most likely explanation was that a sealed system of long-abandoned tunnels near the base complex had been breached by hellspawn. The best case scenario was a small band of survivors who would be easy to mop up. The worst case - an open portal into Hell, which could spew reinforcements and potentially lead to a new invasion.

_This shouldn't be too hard, _though Hicks. _Besides, I won't be going there alone. I'll have a small squad at my disposal. We'll go in and teach those freaks a lesson, just as we did back on Earth._

He pulled out the schematics and started examining them once again. The tunnel system was convoluted and maze-like, yet he wanted to memorize its layout as best as he could. His survival could depend on this. And he had one more hour to do it.

* * *

><p><em>1 hour later<em>

The Marines' temporary HQ was set up within a building at the northern end of the Phobos base - the Computer Station. It was a relatively small building, yet Hicks managed to get lost within its corridors. Like most of the base, this facility was cleared and re-opened for human use. Only the Military Base and the Phobos Anomaly were still sealed, without any official explanation, though rumors claimed there were active teleporters within these buildings, which could be actual gateways to Hell. The Marines were not bothered by these unanswered questions - at this point it was someone else's problem.

The briefing was very quick and basic - it repeated most of the information that he had already received during the flight, barely adding any new details. Basically, the Marines were to be divided into teams of two and sent into the tunnels, mopping up demons and looking for their potential source, if there was any. Starting mission loadout included a shotgun and a chaingun. _Really, no heavy weapons?_ They had to make do with whatever they could scavenge, though the chances of finding a BFG in the sewers were pretty much zero. _They could have at least given us a Berserker pack. I feel like we're going in naked._

Hicks's partner for this mission was Captain Krige - a more experienced Phobos Trooper with several missions under his belt. He supposedly loved plasma weapons and seemed pretty disappointed that they wouldn't be given any from the very beginning. It was during the last few minutes before departure that he finally approached Hicks and introduced himself.

"Captain Krige," he started, "Though friends call me Jack, and I really hope we'll get along."

"Captain Hicks," the younger Marine replied, "Though you can call me Seth, if you so prefer."

"Sure thing, Seth," Captain Krige demonstrated his creepiest smile, "Now let's go roast some demons!"

* * *

><p><em>15 minutes<em>_ later_

As they waited in front of the closed airlock, the two marines did a final check on their equipment and secured their helmets. This was it!

"So," Krige started, "Do you think they would let us take a look at the Phobos Anomaly place after we're done?"

"I don't know," Hicks shrugged, "I heard there was something dangerous in there, so we're not supposed to go yet."

"Well, I heard something else," Krige winked, "I've heard some pretty unsettling rumors about Elite Marines going in there... and I do mean the best of the best, the kind of people you use for critical operations or," his voice lowered to a whisper, "even black ops."

"I don't know, man," Hicks replied sincerely, "I've never heard anything about them. The only thing I know is that they supposedly wear black uniforms. And that's pretty much it."

Krige was about to say something else, yet a gentle hissed signalled that the airlock was about to open. Military reflexes took over instantly and their shotguns were pointed at the door within a fraction of a second. Before them lay stretched a long dimly lit corridor, and somewhere in the distance was a vague glow. The two men turned on their recorders and the timers. The mission had begun.

* * *

><p><em>10 minutes later<em>

They advanced slowly along the grime-encrusted corridor. The air was pretty cold, yet their suits protected them. They had not encountered anything yet, though they heard some distant sounds, which faintly resembled howling. The silence was actually more frightening than any noise they could detect.

"Hey Seth," Captain krige whispered.

"Yeah?"

"This silence is unnerving," the Marine continued, "It feels like walking into an ambush."

"Oh, I know," Hicks replied, "We had a mission back on Earth just a couple of days ago. We entered a building and were swarmed by imps. Barely made it out in one piece."

"Story of my life, bro," Krige sighed, "Reminds me of that one time in Munich when we were cut off and surrounded at some old factory. And just when we thought it could not get any worse, we saw this huge pack of..."

The soldier stopped suddenly and stared intently at something further down the corridor. "PINKIES!" he screamed.

Hicks instantly knew his partner did not mean the pastries known for their astronomically high sugar content, but rather the bull-like demons that charged and crushed their victims with their sheer momentum. And if that was not enough, they had plenty of sharp teeth and horns to finish the job.

"Aim for the eyes," yelled Krige as he pulled out his chaingun. The tactic was simple - he would suppress them with a hail of bullets, while Hicks inflicted some more surgical hits. Luckily, these creatures' eyes were bright and easy to see. Each precise shot put one pinkie down, yet there were so many of them. And they came ever closer to the two marines, climbing over the bodies of their slain brethren, unrelenting in their assault.

"Ok, change of plan," Krige yelled again, "We must pull back or they'll overwhelm us!"

Hicks simply nodded and started retreating slowly, using every precious second to shoot one more demon. Without stopping the hail of hot lead, the two soldiers ducked into a narrower tunnel, which could be used as a bottleneck, and also led to a larger room. The pinkies' advance was slowed down, but not by much. The two Marines rushed into the larger room and tried to assess the situation within the few spare seconds that they had. The more experienced trooper noticed something and pointed towards the door agitatedly.

"Hicks, quickly, shoot the blue pipes above the door!"

The young Marine raised his shotgun and shot in the indicated direction. A small explosion obscured his view, and when the smoke cleared, the room's entrance was blocked by a large pile of debris.

"How did you know," Hicks asked.

"Hydrogen reclamation conduits, mate," Krige beamed, "The sewage treatment plant in my hometown had such a system and I remember that it could be pretty explosive, especially if it hasn't been used for a long time, which causes a lot of gas to accumulate within. And then it makes a good boom."

Hicks just nodded. The important thing for the moment was that the pinkie onslaught was over. But where were they?

"Jack, do you think they can find a way to us?"

"Don't think so," Krige replied, "At least based on what i remember from the schematics I saw. But still, we'd rather not stay here and find out. Especially since we are now low on ammo."

Most of the bullets and shells they carried were spent during the battle, so now they had to pick their fights more carefully. Hicks was trying to remember if there were any supply caches marked on the schematics, when his thoughts were interrupted by a distinct hissing sound. He had heard this sound before, in the training simulators. And he already knew what he was about to see.

A large crimson head with horns and an unnerving smile emerged from a dark corridor and its eye was fixed on the two men. A second later the hideous mouth opened and spat out a large glowing orb of oddly colored fire. The projectile landed right next to Captain Krige's foot and he jumped back startled at this new development.

"Cacodemon," Hicks whispered to himself. Flying, resilient, capable of producing highly-damaging projectiles, but also quite adept at biting a man in half at close range. Can soak up a lot of ammo before going down. He raised his shotgun just as Krige's chaingun renewed its lead hail. The creature was unable to recover from this first hit, and the second one finished it off. It slumped onto the ground, gushing blue blood.

"Are you okay, Jack?" Hicks asked.

"Yeah, it just melted a little of my boot. I hope the cold won't creep in." Captain Krige took a quick look at his backpack and sighed, "And now we have even less ammo. We're almost out, actually."

"I think there is a control station, not far from here," Hicks said, "Maybe we can find some supplies there. It's that way," and he pointed towards the tunnel that the Cacodemon had emerged from.

"Okay, let's give it a try," Krige replied, "If we're lucky, we may even be able to complete this mission."

* * *

><p>Once again, the eerie silence surrounded the two Marines. They expected to hear the familiar growl of pinkies any second, yet it seems the creatures were not smart enough to find another path. They were probably trying to dig their way through the debris - well, good luck with that! The corridor was becoming brighter ahead - and there it was, an open door. This had to be the control station. The door was slightly ajar and the troopers approached it cautiously.<p>

There were several bodies on the floor, as well as numerous signs that a short but intense battle had taken place inside. Whatever killed the Marines was long since gone - it might had even been that Cacodemon they faced earlier. A closer look revealed another surprise - they all wore black uniforms. So the rumors were actually true?

Captain Krige kneeled next to one of the dead soldiers and checked the small insignia on his collar.

"Black Omega," he whispered, "The SMC has always denied it. Officially they do not exist. Omega Troopers were long considered to be an urban legend used to scare rookies. And now here they are, all too real."

"And all too dead," Hicks added. He then noticed a communication station nearby - it appeared slightly damaged, but he could probably patch it up. "Hey, I'll try to fix this. Watch my back, okay?"

"Sure," Captain Krige murmured, rummaging through the dead troopers' belongings. He found some ammo - barely enough to improve their situation, and a few stimpacks that could come in hand. A few minutes later he stood up, holding something in his hand - a PDA.

"This guy must have been this group's commanding officer," the Captain said, "I wonder if I can find anything useful on his... AHA, I knew it!"

"What is it?" Hicks asked.

"The clearance level. Remember how they always tell us that level 5 is the highest possible, yet there are always are concealed things? Well this guy's PDA has a security clearance level 6 and it shows stuff I've never seen before!"

"Oh," Hicks replied, "I thought this could be the case. It was hard to believe they would let us see everything, even the secret stuff."

As Hicks tried to fix the communicator, Captain Krige sat down on the floor and started digging through the PDA. Suddenly, a strange smile crept on his face.

"Hey Hicks," he started, "Do you want to know who _Doom Marine _really is?"

"Heh, for real?" Hicks answered.

"Not joking, mate. Do you remember that Corporal who got transferred to Mars after assaulting a superior officer?"

"Hmmm, I think so," Hicks frowned, "I think that was Kyle Harlan. He is the _Doom Marine_?"

"Turns out he is," Krige said, "When the invasion started, the Marines were sent here. Given his history, he was ordered to stay with the ship and this saved his life. And then he became the luckiest bastard in the history of mankind."

"Whoa, this really is amazing," Hicks was genuinely impressed, "I've seen this guy only once - seemed pretty tough, but nothing extraordinary. I don't know if he was lucky or just good at concealing how good he actually was."

* * *

><p>A while later, Hicks had almost finished getting the transmitter to work, while his partner was still reading something on the PDA. "What's a Gatekeeper?" Krige asked unexpectedly.<p>

Hicks froze for a second at the sound of this familiar name, yet managed to regain his composure and replied as indifferently as he could, "Never heard of that - we studied a number of demon species but they never mentioned such a thing."

"Well, I was reading about the Plutonia Complex attack," Krige continued, "And it seems this thing led the demon hordes that thrashed the place. And another interesting detail - the Marines stationed there were General Callahan's boys. And they were slaughtered to the last man. Man, I guess the General is really angry that he could not kill that arch-fiend with his own hands."

Hicks shrugged, "I don't know what happened at the Plutonia site, but the important thing is that the freaks were defeated and their invasion was stopped. Do the details really matter?"

"Guess they don't," Krige smiled, "So, how's that radio coming along?"

"Almost done, in fact we should be able to..." Hicks stopped as a cacophony of static and random chatter erupted from the communicator. A few moments later the signal stabilized and a voice could be heard more distinctly.

"Pull back... compromised... -trol station six... assault wave..."

Hicks instantly felt a cold shiver run down his spine. They were in Control Station Six. And if he had heard correctly, there was a wave of demons advancing towards them!"

Words were not necessary - the two Marines quickly grabbed everything they could and rushed out. They intended to go back the way they came, but they could already hear heavy steps coming from that direction. The escape route was cut off.

"Jack, we have to find a way to circle around - they are trying to herd us towards their portal."

"Portal... what portal?" Captain Krige asked with a confused expression.

"According to the intel reports and the security footage, Cacodemons never made it to the Phobos base during the initial invasion," Hicks explained, "Therefore, they must have come through an opened portal. The one that is spewing all these demons, and that we are being led towards!"

The other Marine simply nodded - he finally understood. Yet there weren't many options at that moment - they ran down the tunnel, aware that a horde of demons was not far behind - they could already hear their growls and the scraping of their claws against the concrete. The two men took a sharp turn to the left and found themselves in a large room, where a fierce battle was taking place. A team of phobos Troopers were trying to keep a demonic horde at bay, while retreating towards a series of hatches in one part of the room. More disturbing still was the red glow emanating from the far end of the area - it came from a wound in the fabric of reality, which could only be a demonic portal. Just as Hicks had suspected.

* * *

><p>Krige and Hicks got to their comrades just as they cleared a path towards the hatches they were trying to reach. They were approached by a battered young lieutenant who was already bleeding from several wounds.<p>

"Sir," he said, addressing no one in particular, "There are way too many of them, we must retreat or be slaughtered! These overflow gates are way out of here, HQ has almost finished overriding their security protocols. They will open any second now - when this happens, run as fast as you can."

All they had to do was survive - they had shotguns and chainguns with a decent amount of ammo, two plasma guns that were almost out of juice, and one rocket launcher with five rockets left. That was enough... it had to be enough.

And so the battle started anew. The host of demons that had chased Krige and Hicks invaded the room and charged the assembled Phobos Troopers. The hail of bullets cut most of them down, but the stronger creatures continued to push forward, soaking up precious ammo. "How many of these freaks are there?" yelled one of the younger marine, though his voice was lost in the roar of the furious firefight. The last rockets were used up to stop the advance of a trio of Barons, the plasma guns were soon exhausted on the Cacodemons that tried to sneak in from the ceiling. They were cornered and the overflow gates were yet to open.

"What's taking them so long?" grunted Hicks between two shots, "We are running out of time here!"

"I don't know sir," groaned the young lieutenant, "I can't reach HQ. Something is blocking the connection!"

The Captain could not respond to that - he caught a glimpse of something moving very fast, and a moment later a Baron of Hell, gushing green blood from numerous wounds, wedged itself straight into the cluster of marines, separating Hicks from the rest. The creature growled with fury and turned towards the lone marine. Hicks retreated and fired several shots in the demon's face - it didn't even slow it down. _How could this thing still be alive?_

The other marines noticed what was going on and several of them opened fire against the Baron that was pushing Hicks towards the demonic gateway. The demon's resilience was astonishing, yet it finally fell on the ground, continuing to crawl forward, still trying to get its prey as its life was running out.

Things finally settled down - the onslaught of deformed fiends ceased and for a few seconds the room was completely silent. Hicks was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when he was overwhelmed by a strange sensation. The seemingly dormant portal to Hell started to pulse and its glow intensified, enveloping the lone marine and leaving him unable to move.

"Seth, get out of there!" yelled Captain Krige, but Hicks could not. He was paralyzed by the strange power that emanated from the gateway and he felt its power growing, crushing his mind under its cruel heat. He made one last attempt to break his stupor and move, then blacked out...

* * *

><p><em>(unknown amount of time later)<em>

Every joint and muscle hurt. Hicks awakened feeling exhausted and cold. His vision was blurry and he needed some time to make out the details. He was no longer in the sewers - the concrete walls and computer panels around him suggested he was back at the base. But which part of it, exactly? Everything seemed unusually old and dilapidated, untypical for the Phobos base. He managed to sit up and take a look around. Dimly lit corridors and some old crates in the distance. Looked so unfamiliar.

After ten minutes of struggling, he managed to stand up. Where were all the others? Did Captain Krige survive the battle? Hicks still felt unusually tired and infirm on his feet, so he leaned against the wall. Just then he felt something wet on his arm. He raised it and saw some blood smeared all over it - was he wounded? Didn't seem so.

Just then he realized that the wall itself was bleeding - the red drops were oozing straight out of the concrete. Frantically, he started looking around and started to notice some details he had missed a minute prior - like the fleshy growth on some of the walls or the bone-like protrusions "growing" out of several crates.

"No, no, no, this can't be happening. I couldn't possibly be there," Hicks murmured to himself and staggered forward, desperately looking for a window. There were entire wall sections that had transformed into flesh and bone, or into eerie green marble with skull-like ornamentations. This was impossible unless he was in... no, that simply could not be!

He reached a window and peeked out, only to see his worst fears come true. The buildings he saw were strangely deformed and corrupted, yet he clearly recognized them from the photos and schematics he had seen during training. The lost Deimos base. The burning crimson sky above and the eerie black tower rising in the southern end of the base were the last bit of evidence. He had found himself in the one place that every living marine dreads. Judging by his location relative to the other buildings, he was most likely within the base's Containment Area.

* * *

><p>A hoarse laughter erupted throughout the empty hallways. Hicks quickly tried to grab his gun, only to realize it was gone. He was alone and unarmed in hostile territory.<p>

"_You have gazed upon the Tower of Babel, so you must accept the truth now, mortal," _spoke the evil voice, _"Welcome to my home."_

"Who are you?" yelled Hicks, "Why have you brought me here?"

"_I did not bring you here," _the voice creaked, _"You were brought here by the betrayal of the man you trusted. The invisible hand of beings beyond your comprehension has led you for quite some time. They want you. And they will claim you."_

"Spare me your riddles, freak," Hocks growled, "Come out and fight me, if you dare!"

The voice responded with grinding laughter. _"Come and see for yourself, mortal..." _A nearby door opened, revealing what appeared to be a heavily damaged control room. Hicks slowly walked inside - the lights were flickering and most of the screens were bleeding. The corruption that had gripped the base was particularly strong here. Then one of the monitors came to life - the image was blurry at first but started to clear up. Hicks saw a familiar room - the field HQ back at Phobos base. And there stood a familiar human figure. It looked like General Callahan.

"What is the team's' status?" inquired the figure. Yes, it was the General's voice, though it sounded distant and distorted, as if it came from the bottom of a deep well.

"They have just assembled in the room with the portal," spoke one of the officers by the tactical screens, "They are keeping the demons at bay but won't hold up much longer. We have finished overriding the overflow gate controls. We are ready to open them."

"Negative, soldier," the General replied, "The Phobos Troopers will manage this. It's an opportunity we cannot miss."

"Sir?" The aides were visibly confused.

"If we threaten the portal, IT will come out of hiding and come to protect it. This could be our best chance to capture it!"

"But General, our boys are getting slaughtered in there. We must-"

"Don't teach me how to fight a war, boy," the General yelled, "That THING butchered my boys once, but now it's going to pay. You think I don't have hidden reserves ready to be revealed at the right moment? Cut off the connection!..."

Hicks was sick - he felt to his knees, still unable to fully comprehend what he had just seen. The General - he had used them as bait! They were only tools in his private vendetta against the demon he was after.

"You... you lie! You are deceiving me to break my resolve!" Hicks muttered.

"_I wish this was a lie... but remember that Hell would have never become so powerful if you humans did not have such amazing capacity for betrayal. Of all vices you have, this is the one we have always cherished the most..." _the voice paused for a few seconds, as if reflecting upon something,_ "The General was indeed trying to hunt me down. Even now I can sense his Omega Troopers swarming throughout the sewer network. Unfortunately for him, I wouldn't reveal myself just to defend a minor gateway. My meeting with Callahan is to be postponed for the time being."_

Hicks stood up and sighed with resignation. The only thing on his mind was one question - Now what?

"_As for you, brave mortal," _continued the voice, as if sensing the dilemma inside the human's head, _"You could either face the horrors of hell as you search for a way back home, or you could embrace the fate that the Strangers from Outside have prepared for you."_

"What the hell do you mean?" asked Hicks, but the voice did not speak to him again. What was that fiend talking about? What Strangers?

* * *

><p><em>2 hours later<em>

Hicks had been walking aimlessly around the corrupted facility for two hours - there was no sign of demons, but also no weapons or other useful supplies. The whole place looked deserted. He was wondering if he had the courage to walk outside and try to explore the other buildings... or even attempt to get down to the surface of Hell itself. Just like Doom Marine had done. Corporal Harlan, actually. Hey, if he could do it, Hicks could too. He considered himself better trained than any regular Space Marine.

Lost in these thoughts, Hicks suddenly felt something different. He saw a bright glow coming from a nearby room. A ghostly voice pierced the silence and uttered strange words:

"...LIBERATE TUTEMET EX INFERIS..."

He cautiously approached the strange new light and saw something that looked like another portal - but this one was different. Hell's portals glowed with an angry red glow, whereas this one shone with soothing brilliance. Hell's portals emitted sounds reminiscent of distant thunder or the buzzing of an angry hornet, while this one chimed with a gentle hum that was almost like pleasant music. Whatever this was, it did not originate from Hell.

Hicks hesitated for just a second. The voice had warned him about "strangers" but he didn't care anymore. All he wanted was to get out of his place.

He stepped through.

* * *

><p>Flash of light. Sensation of movement over unimaginably long distances, defying space and time. Then it all stopped. He opened his eyes and tried to focus on his surroundings. He was in a well-lit room and beyond it he could see some corridors. It seemed gothic, even Hellish in a way. And there were weapons, ammo and other objects lying around, as if placed there deliberately. What was this place?<p>

WE ARE GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US.

"Who are you?" Hicks was really fed up with disembodied voices speaking to him and he itched to grab one of the weapons lying around this place and cause some havoc, "Show yourselves."

NO NEED TO RUSH. WE JUST WISH TO KNOW YOU BETTER.

"You better not try to detain me here," Hicks growled, "I am a trained Space marine, a Phobos Trooper, and i surely know how to fight."

FIGHT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO... AND FIGHT YOU WILL!

**The End**

* * *

><p><em>So there it is - finished at last. Well, it still took less time than the "Lost Memories".<em>

_If you still don't get the ending - SPOILER: the premise of Quake III is that the Vadrigar, the mysterious Arena Masters, kidnap great warriors from various places and ages, so that they would fight in their arena. And this is what happens to Captain Hicks, or "Phobos", as he is known in the arenas. For the origins of the whole "Phobos trooper" theme, check out "Encyclopedia Daemonica"._

_And if you didn't get the Latin phrase - it means "Save yourself from Hell" and is a reference to Event Horizon - a horror sci-fi movie with lots of similarities to Doom. In fact, many Doom fans consider ti to be the REAL "Doom movie"._

_Well, I hope you enjoyed this ride. As for me, it's time I sit down to finish that Quake project that I've been working on. I hope it will be uploaded here within the next few months._

_See you then ;)_


End file.
